This research project aims to determine whether BSE can be transmitted to UK red deer by including infected material in their feed.

Study Duration: April 2003 to April 2010

Contractor: Veterinary Laboratories Agency

Background The major cause of the spread of the BSE epidemic was attributed to the feeding of contaminated meat and bonemeal (MBM) in the protein rations fed to cattle. The use of MBM in animal feed was not restricted to cattle rations and it is known that MBM was included in the concentrates fed to farmed deer. BSE has been shown to be naturally or experimentally transmissible to a wide range of different ungulate species and deer are known to be susceptible to an endemic TSE (chronic wasting disease, CWD) which is prevalent in North America. However, to date, no TSE infections of UK deer have been reported.Should BSE infection have been transmitted into the UK red deer population, the CWD precedent would suggest that there is potential for both spread and maintenance of the disease in both free living and captive UK deer populations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the susceptibility of UK red deer to BSE infection and to determine the clinical and pathological phenotype.

Research Approach The initial objective of the study is to determine whether orally infected UK red deer are susceptible to bovine BSE agent. Groups of orally dosed deer will be sacrificed at 6, 12 and 60 months post inoculation and necropsies carried out. A range of tissue samples will be retained for further analysis such as immunohistochemistry. All animals will also be monitored clinically throughout the experiment to define any clinical phenotype.

Last Year Cost £ This Year Cost £Start Date 01/04/2003 End Date 01/04/2010Status Current Total Cost £ 1,485,458Abstract The major cause of the spread of BSE was attributed to thefeeding of contaminated meat and bone meal (MBM) in the protein rationsfed to cattle. The use of MBM in animal feed was not restricted tocattle rations and it is known that MBM was included in the concentratesfed to farmed deer. BSE has been shown to be naturally or experimentallytransmissible to a wide range of different ungulate species and deer areknown to be susceptible to an endemic TSE (chronic wasting disease, CWD)which is prevalent in North America. However, to date, no TSE infectionsof UK deer have been reported. The initial objective of the study is todetermine whether orally infected UK red deer are susceptible to bovineBSE agent. Groups of orally dosed deer will be sacrificed at 6, 12 and60 months post inoculation and necropsies carried out. A range of tissuesamples will be retained for further analysis such asimmunohistochemistry. All animals will also be monitored clinicallythroughout the experiment to define any clinical phenotype.

VirologySusceptibility of Red Deer to BSEDagleish, MFSA funded project in collaboration with VLANo known cases of BSE have ever been reported in any species of deer. However, an EU directive has decreed that provision must be made for all ruminant species entering the human food chain to be screened for BSE and free living and captive deer may have been exposed to the BSE agent. BSE has affected a range of different hoof stock (domestic and exotic cattle, eland, nyala, greater kudu, gemsbok and Arabian and scimitar-horned oryx) and several species of cats (cheetah, puma, tiger, lion and domestic cats) by presumed ingestion of contaminated meat and bone meal in food. As both captive and free ranging UK deer enter the human food chain it is important to determine their susceptibility to transmission of the BSE agent, the nature of any possible resultant clinical disease and to develop methods of screening deer tissues for the BSE agent to maintain the high standards of food safety within the UK .

This study will determine in the first instance whether the BSE agent can actually be transmitted to red deer. If this is possible the study will also provide a description of any resultant clinical disease, pathological changes and positive control tissue material all of which would aid surveillance for BSE in deer within the UK .